Provision of buoyancy for garments and the like



Aug. 7, 1962 M. SHAW 3,047,889

PROVISION OF BUOYANCY FOR GARMENTS AND THE LIKE Filed April 10, 1959Fatented Aug. '7, 1952 3,tl47,889 PRUVISHON F EUGYANQY FOR GARMENTS ANDTHE LIKE Mark Shaw, Morecarnbe, Engiand, assignor to Marksway Wear, Ltd,Blackpool, England, a corporation of Great Britain Filed Apr. ltd, 59,Ser. No. 805,537 Claims priority, appiication Great Britain Apr. 21,1953 8 Claims. (Cl. 9-329) This invention relates to buoyancycompartment constructions for garments or the like. The buoyancycompartment construction, according to the present invention, maycomprise an article of compartmented construction adapted to beincorporated into a garment or the like, or

a compartmented construction incorporated in a garment or the likeduring the manufacture of the garment or the like. The term garment orthe like is intended to include any articles of wearing apparel, towhich buoyancy compartments can be suitably applied, such as coats,jackets, Waistcoats, swimming costumes, but also includes such articlesas life jackets or belts or articles carried on the human body such aspacks or rucksacks.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved buoyancycompartment construction for garments and the like in which the buoyancycompartment is readily exhausted of entrapped air (e.g. for packing andstorage purposes) but which becomes air-tight to prevent the escape ofentrapped air as soon as the compartment is immersed in water, even ifthe immersion is only partial or initially only partial.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedbuoyancy compartment construction for garments and the like which issimple and cheap to manufacture.

The invention consists in a buoyancy compartment construction forgarments or the like, or adapted to be incorporated in garmentscomprising a compartment envelope made of waterproof and air-tightmaterial and having one or more openings therein closed by a panel orpanels of a textile material (hereinafter referred to as the wet/ drymaterial) which is air permeable when dry but substantially air-tightwhen wet.

By this construction, when the article is immersed in Water so that thepanel or panels are wetted, substantially no air can escape from thecompartment envelope, but when the panel or panels are dry any aircontained in the compartment envelope can be expressed therefrom throughthe panel or panels so that the bulk of the article can be reduced to aminimum.

The invention further consists in a buoyancy compartment construction,according to the preceding paragraph, wherein the compartment may besub-divided by the formation of bulkheads or the like into a pluralityof subcompartments, each sub-compartment having one or more openingstherein closed by a panel or panels of the wet/ dry material.

The invention still further consists in a buoyancy compartmentconstruction, according to either of the two preceding paragraphs,wherein the or each opening in the compartment is closed by more thanone panel layer of wet/dry material such that should the outermost panellayer become damaged (e.g. torn or cut) the subsequent layer or layerswill afford the necessary sealing oif of the compartment when wettecl.

According to one form of the invention as set forth in any of the threepreceding paragraphs, the buoyancy compartment construction isincorporated in a garment as it is made, the compartment Walls formingpart of the garment itself, the compartment opening, closed by thepanels of wet/dry material prefer-ably being located on what is theinside of the garment when worn and also at or towards the lower marginof the garment as worn. Alternatively the buoyancy compartmentconstruction may comprise a compartment, or compartmented, articleadapted to be fitted to, or incorporated in, an alreadymade garment, andin this form, the article may be of a variety of convenient shapes, e.g.rectangular, oval or specially shaped to fit a specific form of garment.

in the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of a buoyancy compartment, according to thepresent invention,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of an oilskin jacket (partially opened upto show the interior), having buoyancy compartments according to thepresent invention, and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a life jacket having buoyancycompartments according to the present invention.

In carrying the invention into eifect according to one mode by way ofexample, a buoyancy compartment article, see FIGURE 1, comprises acompartment 1 made up of two layers of waterproof and air-tightmaterial, such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride or rubberised cotton,secured e.g. welded or stuck, together along a margin 2 to define thecompartment 1. The two layers, Within the margin 2, are preferably keptseparated by the interposition of blocks 3 of resilient material, suchas kapok or foamed plastic.

One of the layers forming the compartment walls is formed with anopening 4, preferably adjacent one side or edge of the compartment, ofrelatively small are-a, say 5 inches by 1% inches and over this openingis secured, as by stitching or adhesive or both, a panel 5 of textilematerial (wet/dry material) which is pervious to air when dry butimpervious when wet, as described hereafter.

The compartment 1 therefore contains air, which can be expressed bypressure when the panel 5 is dry but when wetted the panel 5 becomesimpervious to air so that the compartment becomes completely air-tight.

The compartment article, according to FIGURE 1, can be incorporated inany article in which buoyancy provisions are required. When incorporatedin a garment such as a coat, the compartment 1 is disposed so that theopening 4 is adjacent the bottom of the garment so that normally thepanel 5 Will normally become wetted immediately a wearer becomesimmersed in water.

Alternatively the buoyancy compartment construction, according to thepresent invention, can be incorporated direct into a garment, see FIGURE2, wherein an oilskin jacket has a body portion 6 made of two separatelayers of waterproof material, such as plasticised poly vinyl chlorideor rubberised cotton. The two layers are secured together as bystitching, adhesion or heat-sealing along lines 7 defining totallyenclosed compartments 8, the securing being such that the compartmentsare airtight along the lines of securernent, so that in the case ofstitching it is desirable to reinforce the seam by means of a sealingsubstance. In a preferred arrangement of such compartments 8 for theoilskin jacket, two compartments are provided on the back and two on thefront of the jacket, the compartments being square or rectangular, sothat in an adults garment each separate compartment would measure about8 /2 x 15".

Each compartment 8 is formed, as described with reference to FIGURE 1,with anopening 4 at or towards its lower margin measuring, say, 5 x 1%and into this opening is secured as by stitching or adhesive or both apanel 5 of wet/ dry material, as defined hereafter, so that thepanel-filled opening 4 comprises, in effect, a valve which, when thepanel 5 of Wet/dry material, is dry permits the ingress and egress ofair to and from the associated compartment and which, when the panel iswet prevents egress or escape of air from the interior of thecompartment.

By the provision of the valve panels of wet/ dry material at or towardsthe bottom of each compartment 8, and by keeping the dimensions (area)of the valve panels 5 small, sealing-off of the compartment rapidlytakes place when a wearer is immersed in water and any initial escape ofair from the compartments is reduced to a minimum.

If desired a second panel layer of wet/dry material (not shown) may beprovided over the opening 4 in each compartment 8 in case the outermostpanel becomes damaged. Also each compartment may be provided with morethan one opening, but it is still preferred to keep the total area ofopenings in each compartment to a minimum.

In a similar manner, the invention may be applied to a life jacket (seeFIGURE 3), e.g. of the type comprising chest and back portions 9 and it}separated by shoulder straps 11 between which there is an aperture 12for the Wearers head, the portions 9 and being connectible together byties or other fastenings 13. The chest and back portions 9 and 10 areeach made up of two layers of waterproof and air-tight material securedtogether along lines 14 defining a number of compartments 15, forexample, three compartments in each portion 9 or ltl each extendingacross the width of the portion and placed one above the other. Eachcompartment 15 has one or more openings in, e.g. four openings of about1 /2" x 1 /4", spaced along its length, or, as shown, two spacedopenings of about 1 /2 x 3", each opening being filled as describedabove by a panel 1? of wet/ dry material. Thus, in a preferred form, alife jacket hasa total of six compartments and a total of sixteen orthirtytwo panel-filled openings.

if desired each compartment 8 in FIGURE 2, or 15 in FIGURE 3, in anarticle or a garment may be provided with spacing means, as describedfor FTGURE l, in its interior for keeping the compartment wall separatedso that air is always contained in the compartment, such spacing meansneed only be provided at spaced locations within each compartment andmay comprise blocks 18 of kapok or foamed resilient plastic (not shownin FTGURE 3), in which the relatively smaller compartments 15 can befilled with, for example, kapok.

The wet/ dry textile material, referred to above, which is air perviouswhen dry, but impervious to air when wet may be as follows.

v-Veave Oxford.

Ends per inch 232.

Warps count 2/110s Cotton.

Twist singles 27Z. Twist folded 218.

Picks per inch; 95.

Weft count 2/ 80s Cotton.

Twist singles ZZZ. Twist folded 18S.

Denting 28.5/8.

The fabric is secured and desized, to remove the entire wax content ofthe fibres, in 1% caustic, 0.1% castor oil soap, for 3 hours at 30 lbs.pressure. The fabric is stretched in processing by about 5%, to give acloth of 4.5 oz. per square yard.

I claim:

1. A flexible buoyancy compartment comprising flexible wall means ofwaterproof and air-tight material secured to define a casingencompassing sufiicient internal volume for buoyant purposes, at leastone wall having at least one opening therein of an area that is small inrelation to the area of said wall, a flexible panel means secured tosaid wall and overlying and covering said opening, said panel meanscomprising textile material possessing the characteristic of beingpermeable to ambient air when dry so that air can enter the casing andwhen wet preventing egress of air and ingress of water so as to entrapthe air within the casing, said wall means including opposed walls andat least one spacer body within the casing for preventing adherence ofsaid opposed walls to one another when said casing is folded and inaddition preventing complete expulsion of air from within the casingduring such folding.

2. A flexible buoyancy compartment as claimed in claim 1 in which saidat least one spacer body is a resilient mass which keeps the casingpartially distended at all times.

3. A flexible buoyancy compartment as claimed in claim 1 and furtherincluding at least one additional spacer body within the casing spacedlongitudinally of the first spacer body with reference to thelongitudinal axis of the casing and both spacer bodies comprising aresilient mass for keeping the casing partially distended at all times.

4. A flexible buoyancy compartment as claimed in claim 1 in which saidflexible panel means comprises two layers of such textile materialarranged in superimposed relationship over said opening whereby shouldthe outermost layer become damaged the opening is still effectivelycovered by the underlying layer.

5. A flexible buoyancy compartment comprising flexible wall means ofwaterproof and air-tight material secured to define a casingencompassing sufficient internal volume for buoyant purposes, at leastone wall having at least one opening therein of an area that is small inrelation to the area of said wall, a flexible panel means secured tosaid wall and overlying and covering said opening, said panel meanscomprising woven oxford cloth possessing the characteristics of beingpermeable to ambient air when dry so that air can enter the casing andwhen wet preventing egress of air and ingress of water so as to entrapthe air within the casing, said Wall means including opposed walls andat least one spacer body within the easing for preventing adherence ofsaid opposed walls to one another when said casing is folded and inaddition preventcomplete expulsion of air from within the casing duringsuch folding.

6. A flexible buoyancy compartment as claimed in claim 5 in which saidoxford cloth has the following characteristics:

Ends per inch 232.

Warps count 2/ 1 10b Cotton.

Twist singles 272. Twist folded 213.

Picks per inch 95.

Weft count 2/ SOs Cotton.

Twist singles ZZZ. Twist folded 18S.

Denting 28.5/8.

the fabric being scoured and desized, to remove the entire wax contentof the fibres, and stretched in processing by about 5%.

7. A garment adapted to give the wearer buoyancy to enable the wearer tofloat in water for an extended period of time comprising a body portioncovering at least a portion of the wearers body, at least one flexiblebuoyancy compartment secured to the body portion and comprising flexiblewall means of waterproof and air-tight material secured to define acasing encompassing sufficient internal volume for buoyant purposes, atleast one wall having at least one opening therein of an area that issmall in relation to the area of said wall, a flexible panel meanssecured to said wall and overlying and covering said opening, said panelmeans comprising textile material possessing the characteristics ofbeing permeable to ambient air when dry so that air can enter the casingand when wet preventing egress of air and ingress of water so as toentrap the air within the casing, said wall means including opposedWalls and at least one spacer body within the casing for 5 preventingadherence of said opposed walls to one another when said casing isfolded and in addition preventing complete expulsion of air from withinthe casing during such folding.

8. A garment as claimed in claim 7 in which said one flexible wallhaving at least one opening therein is directed toward the interior ofthe body portion when the garment is worn and said at least one openingand the overlying panel means being located adjacent that end of thecasing which is lowermost when the garment is worn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

